PSY-cho? Korean rapper once sang of killing Americans

Long before Korean star PSY got America to dance “Gangnam Style,” he had a different rap: Urging the torture and murder of Americans.

The portly performer, with his trademark sunglasses and garish suits, is riding an international wave of popularity thanks to his smash hit and accompanying video. He’s scheduled to perform the song, and presumably, his quirky dance moves at the “Christmas in Washington” concert Dec. 21 with President Obama in attendance. But one hopes he won’t dip into his archives when he puts together the presidential playlist.

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“Kill those f---ing Yankees who have been torturing Iraqi captives,” PSY rapped on a South Korean band’s 2004 song, “Dear Americans.”

And more vile verses followed:

“Kill those f---ing Yankees who ordered them to torture.”

“Kill their daughters, mothers, daughters-in-law and fathers.”

“Kill them all slowly and painfully.”

Long a star in his native land, PSY has gone global with “Gangnam Style. Children, old people and even politicians have been caught on camera aping PSY’s quirky dance moves. The video for the song has generated nearly 1 billion views on YouTube. But after his old lyrics surfaced, a short-lived petition to kick him off the Christmas in Washington celebration went up on whitehouse.gov. The petition had fewer than 500 signatures when it was pulled offline for violating terms.

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The upcoming performance, which airs on TNT and is hosted by Conan O'Brien, will also feature performances by Diana Ross, Megan Hilty, Demi Lovato, Chris Mann and Scotty McCreery.

The offending song was performed as PSY and other performers were protesting the execution of a Korean missionary by terrorist demanding that South Korea not aid the U.S. in the Iraq war.

In a statement Friday, PSY said the protests were part of a "deeply emotional" reaction to the war and the killing of two Korean school girls. The rapper said he "will forever be sorry for any pain I have caused by those words."